LDN for Fibromyalgia!
Low Dose Naltrexone has a long history of helping all sorts of people with all sorts of health problems.
Research on LDN for Fibromyalgia
Low-Dose Naltrexone Reduces the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia Symptoms are reduced by low-dose naltrexone: A pilot study.
Pain Medicine (2009)
Jarred W. Younger and Sean C. Mackey
What is fibromyalgia?
People with fibromyalgia complain of chronic pain in the muscles of their body. They are also often profoundly fatigued, and have difficulty sleeping well. Headaches, stomach problems, and a number of other symptoms are frequently reported. Millions of people in the United States meet the criteria for fibromyalgia, and the condition seems to affect more women than men. The disorder can be debilitating, as the pain and fatigue prevent the individual from carrying out their normal activities. There are three FDA-approved medications for fibromyalgia, but not all individuals respond well to those treatments.
What is low-dose naltrexone?
We tested a medication called low-dose naltrexone (LDN). Naltrexone is a medication that has been used for many years to treat opioid addiction. When given at a smaller dose (usually 4.5mg), the drug may help to reduce pain associated with inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease. LDN is not FDA-approved for the treatment of pain, and is still experimental. LDN capsules are typically taken once per day.
What was the study?
We ran a small study to see if individuals with fibromyalgia would receive benefit from taking LDN. Ten women were enrolled in the study -- all of whom met the criteria for fibromyalgia. The participants were given a handheld computer to record their pain, fatigue, and other symptoms on a daily basis. They filled out the daily report for two weeks before receiving capsules. Then they received capsules to take once daily. The participants received placebo for two weeks, and then LDN for 8 weeks. The study was single-blind, so participants did not know when they were receiving placebo or LDN. Finally, participants stopped taking the capsules and continued to fill out the daily reports for two more weeks.
Did the drug work?
We were very encouraged by the results. In six out of ten participants, LDN was significantly better than placebo at reducing fibromyalgia symptoms. LDN reduced daily pain, the highest level of pain, fatigue, and stress. Other symptoms, such as sleep problems, gastrointestinal complaints, and headaches, also seemed to be helped.
Pain Medicine (2009). Overall, self-reported, daily fibromyalgia symptoms (scale 0 – 100, with 100 being most severe symptoms). Time periods are: baseline, placebo, LDN, and washout. The data are separated into drug responders (solid line, 6 people) and drug nonresponders (broken line, 4 people). Drug responders are individuals who had at least a 30% greater reduction of symptoms during LDN versus placebo.
What were the side-effects?
We did not observe any serious side-effects during the course of the study. The most commonly reported side-effect (reported by 2 participants) was more vivid dreams. All of the participants who started the study finished the entire 14-week protocol.
